CORNING – Agents with the Arkansas State Police are investigating a two-vehicle accident that killed six people at about 12:20 p.m. Monday.
The accident occurred between a 1996 Peterbilt tractor-trailer and a 2013 Buick SUV at the intersection of Arkansas 135 and U.S. 62 about two miles east of Corning in Clay County. Gerayne L. Poole, 82, of Piggott, who was the tractor-trailer driver, was flown to Regional One Medical Center in Memphis, where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Four adults and two minors were pronounced deceased on the scene by the Clay County Coroners’ Office. An Arkansas State Police preliminary report lists their identities as “unknown.” They included a male driver, one male passenger, two female passengers, and two minor passengers.
The preliminary report said the Buick was traveling north on Arkansas 135. At the intersection of U.S. 62, the Buick failed to yield and pulled directly into the path of the eastbound Peterbilt. After impact, both vehicles traveled off the left (north) side of U.S. 62 and became fully engulfed in flames. The occupants of the Buick were not able to escape.
Autopsies will be conducted at the Arkansas State Crime Lab to verify the identities of the deceased.
Traffic on U.S. 62 was rerouted for more than 6 hours.
Clay County is on the Missouri State Line.
